Big Data - Fujitsu

1 Big DataThe definitive guide to the revolution in business analytics shaping tomorrow with youTHE WHITE BOOK DataThe definitive guide to the revolution in business analyticsTHE WHITE BOOK WHITE BOOK DataContentsAcknowledgements 4 Preface 51: What is big data ? 62: What does big data Mean for the Business? 163: Clearing big data Hurdles 244: Adoption Approaches 325: Changing Role of the Executive Team 426: Rise of the data Scientist 467: The Future of big data 488: The Final Word on big data 52 big data Speak: Key terms explained 57 Appendix: The White Book Series 60 ISBN: 978-0-9568216-2-1 Published by Fujitsu Services Ltd.

2 Copyright Fujitsu Services Ltd 2012. All rights part of this document may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of Fujitsu Services Ltd. Fujitsu Services Ltd endeavours to ensure that the information in this document is correct and fairly stated, but does not accept liability for any errors or thanks to our authors:l Ian Mitchell, Chief Architect, UK & Ireland, Fujitsul Mark Locke, Head of Planning & Architecture, International Business, Fujitsul Mark Wilson, Strategy Manager, UK & Ireland, Fujitsul Andy Fuller, big data Offering Manager, UK & Ireland, FujitsuWith further thanks to colleagues at Fujitsu in Australia, Europe and Japan who kindlyreviewed the book s contents and provided invaluable more information on Fujitsu s big data capabilities and to learn how we can assist your organisation further, please contact us at or contact your local Fujitsu team (see page 62).

3 5In economically uncertain times, many businesses and public sector organisations have come to appreciate that the key to better decisions, more effective customer/citizen engagement, sharper competitive edge, hyper-efficient operations and compelling product and service development is data and lots of it. Today, the situation they face is not any shortage of that raw material (the wealth of unstructured online data alone has swollen the already torrential flow from transaction systems and demographic sources) but how to turn that amorphous, vast, fast-flowing mass of big data into highly valuable insights, actions and Fujitsu White Book of big data aims to cut through a lot of the market hype surrounding the subject to clearly define the challenges and opportunities that organisations face as they seek to exploit big data .

4 Written for both an IT and wider executive audience, it explores the different approaches to big data adoption, the issues that can hamper big data initiatives, and the new skillsets that will be required by both IT specialists and management to deliver success. At a fundamental level, it also shows how to map business priorities onto an action plan for turning big data into increased revenues and lower Fujitsu , we have an even broader and more comprehensive vision for big data as it intersects with the other megatrends in IT cloud and mobility. Our Cloud Fusion innovation provides the foundation for business-optimising big data analytics, the seamless interconnecting of multiple clouds, and extended services for distributed applications that support mobile devices and hope this book offers some perspective on the opportunities made real by such innovation, both as a big data primer and for ongoing guidance as your organisation embarks on that extended, and hopefully fruitful, journey.

5 Please let us know what you think and how your big data adventure McNaughtSenior Vice President and Head of Strategic Solutions International BusinessFujitsuPreface 1 Whatis BigData?71 What is big data ?In 2010 the term big data was virtually unknown, but by mid-2011 it was being widely touted as the latest trend, with all the usual hype. Like cloud computing before it, the term has today been adopted by everyone, from product vendors to large-scale outsourcing and cloud service providers keen to promote their offerings. But what really is big data ? Photograph: iStockphotoIn short, big data is about quickly deriving business value from a range of new and emerging data sources, including social media data , location data generated by smartphones and other roaming devices, public information available online and data from sensors embedded in cars, buildings and other objects and much more besides.

6 Defining big data : the 3V modelMany analysts use the 3V model to define big data . The three Vs stand for volume, velocity and variety. Volume refers to the fact that big data involves analysing comparatively huge amounts of information, typically starting at tens of terabytes. Velocity reflects the sheer speed at which this data is generated and changes. For example, the data associated with a particular hashtag on Twitter often has a high velocity. Tweets fly by in a blur. In some instances they move so fast that the information they contain can t easily be stored, yet it still needs to be describes the fact that big data can come from many different sources, in various formats and structures.

7 For example, social media sites and networks of sensors generate a stream of ever-changing data . As well as text, this might include, for example, geographical information, images, videos and speedIn a big data world, one of the key factors is speed. Traditional analytics focus on analysing historical data . big data extends this concept to include real-time analytics of in-flight transitory data : a new model for the databaseThe growth of semi-structured data (see data types , right) is driving the adoption of new database models based on the idea of Linked data . These reflect the way information is connected and represented on the Internet, with links cross-referencing various pieces of associated information in a loose web, rather than requiring data to adhere to a rigid, inflexible format where everything sits in a particular, predefined box.

8 Such an approach can provide the flexibility of an unstructured data store along with the rigour of defined data structures. This can enhance the accuracy and quality of any query and associated : the fourth vital V While the 3V model is a useful way of defining big data , in this book we will also be concentrating on a fourth, vital V value. There is no point in organisations implementing a big data solution unless they can see how it will give them increased business value. That might not only mean using the data within their own organisation value could also come from selling it or providing access to third parties.

9 This drive to maximise the value of big data is a key business are other ways in which big data offers businesses new ways to generate value. For example, whereas traditional business analytical systems had to operate on historical data that might be weeks or months out of date, a big data solution can also analyse information being generated in real time (or at least close to real time). This can deliver massive benefits for businesses, as they are able to respond more quickly to market trends, challenges and changes. Furthermore, big data solutions can add new value by analysing the sentiment contained in the data rather than just looking at the raw information (for example, they can understand how customers are feeling about a particular product).

10 This is known as semantic analysis . There are also growing developments in artificial intelligence techniques that can be used to perform complex fuzzy searches and unearth new, previously impenetrable business insights from the data . In summary, big data gives organisations the opportunity to exploit a combination of existing data , transient data and externally available data sources in order to extract additional value through:l Improved business insights that lead to more informed decision-makingl Treating data as an asset that can be traded and is therefore important that organisations keep sight of both the long-term goal of big data to integrate many data sources in order to unlock even more data sourcesBig data not only extends the data types, but the sources that the data is coming from to include real-time, sensor and public data sources, as well as in-house and subscription is big data ?